Since it looks like we are shortly going to have a PC actor it struck me that if only PC written / produced shows are available to act in, he is not going to have much to do. Consequently I've drawn up a suggested rules addition below. (The names of the Ambassadors are comic ones from Time of Honour and may need changing) :
35.4 Theatre Royal SchedulingUnless a PC hires the Theatre Royal and a Private Theatre Company to perform a self-penned production (or a private company hires the theatre for a month), then the slots at the Theatre Royal are divided between the three Established Companies as follows:
King's Men: January, April, July, October
Duke's Men: February, May, August, November
Archduke's Men: March, June, September, December
PC's cannot usually attend any of these NPC productions or the associated first night parties (sold out
). They only come into play if any PC Actors are members of the performing company. If that is the case, then further details are worked out with 1D6 rolls as follows:
KING'S MENType of Production: 1-2 Play; 3-4 Opera; 5-6 Ballet
Writer's Patron:
1 Ambassador Portugal : Count Pedro da Vishamon, SL 13 Rose & Crown
2 Ambassador Brandenberg: Count Paul von Trink, SL 13 Rose & Crown
3 Ambassador Sweden: Marquis Bjorn Abbaborg, SL15 Bothwells
4 Ambassador England: The Duke of Buckingham, SL18 Fleur de Lys
5 Queen (SL 28) Fleur de Lys
6 Royalty, throw again: 1-3 Princess Louisa (SL 25); 4-5 Queen (SL 28); 6 King (SL 30) Fleur de Lys
DUKE'S MENType of Production: 1-4 Play; 5 Opera; 6 Ballet
Writer's Patron:
1 Ambassador Naples: Vicomte Gian Cornetto, SL12 Rose & Crown
2 Ambassador Savoy: Count Luccio Vaporetto, SL 13 Rose & Crown
3 Ambassador Austria: Duke Gunter von Moer, SL15 Bothewell's
4 Ambassador Spain: Duke Rodrigo Torquemada, SL15 Bothwell's
5 Duke of Brittany (SL 22) Fleur de Lys
6 Royalty, throw again: 1-2 Grand Duke Max (SL 21); 3-4 Cardinal Richelieu (SL 25); 5-6 Prince Gaston (SL 26) Fleur de Lys
ARCHDUKE'S MENType of Production: 1-5 Play; 6 Throw Again: 1-4 Opera; 5-6 Ballet
Writer's Patron:
1 Ambassador Naples: Vicomte Gian Cornetto, SL12 Rose & Crown
2 Ambassador Holland: Baron Jan van Plezier, SL 13 Rose & Crown
3 Ambassador Brandenberg: Count Paul von Trink, SL 13 Rose & Crown
4 Ambassador Sweden: Marquis Bjorn Abbaborg, SL15 Bothwells
5 Archduke Leopold (SL 22) Fleur de Lys
6 Royalty, throw again. 1-2 Grand Duke Max (SL 21), 3-5 Archduke Leopold (SL 22); 6 Prince Gaston (SL 26) Fleur de Lys
Actors taking part in any NPC Productions must spend the two weeks before the performances in rehearsal as usual and take part in the whole month of the show. They may attend the First Night Party at the Club of the writer's patron and toady him. Other PCs may attend productions in which PC actors are taking part, but may only attend the First Night party if no more than 6 SLs lower than the party's host. (If the party host is also the Patron of a PC then his protegé may persuade him to accept all comers if so wished).
NPC Productions are all taken to have professional producers.
Productions of the King's Men are taken to include two beautiful actresses in the cast, Productions of the Duke's Men 1, and Productions of the Archduke's Men Zero. Mistresses may take part in productions lacking beautiful actresses at the request of their beau as usual.
The amount spent on lavish props depends upon the club of the Patron: Rose & Crown 100; Bothwell's 200; Fleur de Lys 300.
Where the Patron is spending less than 300 on lavish props, the actor(s) may make up the shortfall, gaining 10% of the profits for each 100 spent as usual.
If a work written by a PC is accepted by one of the three established Companies of Players then it will be performed in their next available slot at the Theatre Royal as above (though the writer(s) and or Patron(s) of the work will be responsible for providing any beautiful mistresses, lavish props and the First Night Party). The same is true if one of the established companies is hired to stage a PC production which they have previously rejected (though the writer will also be responsible for covering the cost of theatre hire in this case). If a new company hires / is hired for the Theatre Royal, however, they will 'bump' the established company for the month in question after which the usual schedule will resume. Any company so bumped will view the bumping company in the same way as the King's Men view the Duke's Men thereafter.
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I'd also suggest that
35.24 Actors can count the six weeks required to appear in a play, opera or ballet as one week's
work towards writing a new play, opera, or ballet.
be amended to
35.24 Actors can count the six weeks required to appear in a play, opera or ballet as one week's
work towards writing a new
treatise, play, opera, or ballet.
Just because a character's Etiquette might be good enough to act doesn't mean that any of his or other skills might be good enough to write, whereas writing treatises requires no special abilities.
Also, if the above is adopted, then
16.6 If a work is accepted by a Company of Players, the writer(s) will be paid 70 Cr for the work
should be amended to
16.6 If a work is accepted by a Company of Players then it will be performed in their next available slot at the Theatre Royal (see 35.4 Theatre Royal Scheduling). The writer(s) will be paid 70 Cr for the work